Final answer:
The query is related to healthcare administration and business protocols concerning patient payments after an account is turned over to a collection agency. It's important not to accept direct payments in such cases, as the responsibility of debt recovery shifts to the collection agency.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question pertains to the protocol for handling patient payments once their account has been turned over to a collection agency. In a business context, specifically within healthcare administration, it is standard practice to refrain from accepting payments directly from a patient once their account has been assigned to a collection agency. This is because the collection agency has taken over the responsibility of recovering the debt, and direct payments might cause confusion or conflict regarding the outstanding balance. Moreover, if the provider accepted payment it could potentially breach the agreement with the collection agency.